Leaving the Psychiatric Hospital

Focusing on the deinstitutionalization of mental health care in Argentina, this book explores the transition of long-term patients from public psychiatric hospitals to community living. It shares personal stories of individuals who have recently reintegrated into society, highlighting the supportive externación programs that facilitated their move. Through an ethnographic lens, it challenges conventional narratives by revealing that ex-patients often find meaningful lives in lower-income neighborhoods, employing survival strategies and social networks to navigate challenges while retaining valuable aspects of their hospital experiences.